A good gift

On a recent Thursday night, I knelt down and asked God for a bookcase. So, the next day, instead of heading straight for the books in the Thrift Store, I headed for the furniture... where there sat not one, but two, bookcases for sale.

Thank you, Lord.

I picked the one I thought was prettiest (of course!), we checked out and brought it home, I asked "baby brother" to help haul it up the stairs and set it at the foot of my bed (which he very kindly did), and I've been happily loading it with books and other pretties since then. :)

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Matthew 7:11

Fairy roses

I left behind a Fairy rose bush at our old home, but I was blessed to be able to purchase another one not long after we settled in this home.

She lives in her container on our unused back steps, blooms beautifully, prunes herself, and asks very little (she does like water :)). 

And, looks simply lovely while she does it!

The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, ...

The Song of Solomon 2:12a

Old books & old roses

One thing I've enjoyed about our little town is the abundant opportunity to purchase used books... library sales, church attic sales, and thrift stores.  I haven't indulged in a library sale recently, but we've just had a very pleasant season of church attic sales, and our local Salvation Army Thrift Store has a "system" that I've really enjoyed in recent months. 

The thrift store usually sells books for 39 cents (paperback) and 79 cents (hardcover).  But... they label incoming books with a colored sticker on the spine, and each week, a different color goes on sale for half-price.  Yes!  That means that some books each week cost 20 or 40 cents.  Oh, my. :)

I've indulged sufficiently that I'm now hoping that they put a bookcase out for sale soon! :)

They've had a flush of vintage books lately, and I've brought home several.  I don't know yet whether the contents are lovely, but I certainly think their covers are, and I've very much enjoyed seeing my pretty stack.

Rain was forecast yesterday, so I gathered roses from our back fence before the showers and arranged a petite bouquet for my room.  I don't know how old the vine is, but it predates our sojourn in this home, so it's the "old rose." 

It blooms over our chain link fence, intertwined with honeysuckle.  The roses are pale pink, delicately scented, and fragile.  Such a lovely display in a utilitarian sort of spot.  Such a lovely gift from someone before me...

Such a lovely gift from my heavenly Father.

I've moved the bouquet to my desk to enjoy while they fade.

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth:
but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
Isaiah 40:8